1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light transmitting panel mounting structure of, for example, a light-transmitting panel of an automotive sunroof or other similar automotive light transmitting panels and a light transmitting panel assembling method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a sunroof provided in a ceiling of an automotive vehicle is composed of a substantially rectangular frame made of metal, a sunroof panel bonded with adhesives to this frame for introducing light (panel made of glass or synthetic resin), and a weather strip mounted on the frame for sealing an outer circumferential edge portion of the panel.
Then, in the case where a synthetic resin made panel having a higher linear expansion coefficient than a glass made panel is used as a sunroof panel, since the panel is expanded or shrunken in accordance with a level of the temperature, it is known that a lip that may be elastically deformed in contact with an outer circumferential end face of the panel is provided on an inner circumferential surface of the weather strip to thereby cope with the expansion/shrinkage of the panel. Incidentally, in this case, in order to enhance the followability of the lip to the expansion/shrinkage shift of the sunroof panel, the lip may be a hollow lip in some cases.
FIGS. 7A and 7B exemplify a panel assembling method in the case where a sunroof panel 103 is assembled into a loop-like weather strip 101 in which a hollow lip 102 is formed on the inner circumferential surface. As shown in FIG. 7A, the weather strip 101 is set on a receiving jig 104 by a weather strip positioning jig 105 with its back surface side reversed (inverted) upwardly. The substantially planar sunroof panel 103 is lowered onto the receiving jig 104 from above toward the weather strip 101.
In this case, in order to absorb the positional displacement of assembling or to keep the sealability in the assembling condition (to bring the hollow lip 102 into contact with the panel end face under the deformed condition), a lap amount a is set so that the tip end of the hollow lip 102 is partially overlapped with the edge of the sunroof panel 103. Then, when the sunroof panel 103 is lowered, the hollow lip 102 is pushed outwardly by the edge of the sunroof panel 103.
However, at this time, a so-called biting phenomenon in which the hollow lip 102 is not pushed outwardly but the edge of the sunroof panel 103 rides over the hollow lip 102 may occur. If such a biting phenomenon occurs, it takes long time to repair this, resulting in degradation in productivity.
Accordingly, in view of the above-described problems inherent in the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a light transmitting panel mounting structure that is available in avoiding a biting phenomenon of a hollow lip when a panel is to be mounted on a weather strip and a light transmitting panel assembling method therefor.
In order to attain this and other objects, according to the present invention, there is provided a light transmitting panel mounting structure for mounting a light transmitting panel to a frame comprising: a frame having a mounting flange; a light transmitting panel bonded relatively movably to the frame; and a weather strip held by the mounting flange of the frame for sealing a space between the frame and the light transmitting panel, the weather strip including: a body portion; a leg portion extending from the body portion to face the body portion for clamping the mounting flange of the frame in cooperation with the body portion; and a hollow lip having a hollow cross-sectional shape and projecting from the leg portion in contact with elastic contact with an end face of the light transmitting panel, the hollow lip having a bent portion that is collapsible while shifting toward the leg portion when the hollow lip is subjected to an external force, the bent portion being provided with a groove for assisting the collapsing action.
Also, according to the present invention, there is provided a light transmitting panel assembling method for inserting a light transmitting panel from a back surface side to an inner circumference of a weather strip provided with a hollow lip along an inner circumferential portion in the form of a loop to thereby assemble the light transmitting panel to the weather strip, comprising the steps of: sucking air within a hollow portion of the hollow lip of the weather strip to thereby collapse the hollow lip to the outside; inserting the light transmitting panel into the inner circumferential portion of the weather strip under the condition that the hollow lip is collapsed; and stopping the suction of air within the hollow portion of the hollow lip and introducing the air into the hollow portion to return the hollow lip to the original shape, thereby bringing the hollow lip into elastic contact with an end face of the light transmitting panel.